Anti-spray device for container openers



June 5, 1962 R. B. FLEMING ANTI-SPRAY DEVICE FOR CONTAINER OPENERS Filed June 5, 1961 FIG.2.'

FIG.

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INVENTOR ROBERT B. FLEMING ATTORNEY United States Patent fifiee 3,037,279 Patented June 5, 1962 3,037,279 ANTI-SPRAY DEVICE FOR CONTAINER OPENERS Robert B. Fleming, 124 Rose Ave., La 'Habra, Calif, assignor of one-tenthto J. Carroll Baisch, Whittier, Calif. Filed June 5, 1961, Ser. No. 114,723 7 Claims. (CI. 3016) This invention relates generally to container opening devices and relates more particularly to anti-spray means therefor.

As is well known, certain beverages, such as beer, carbonated soft drinks and the like, contain gas. Such beverages often develop substantial pressure when in their containers, particularly if they are shaken or become warm, and many of these beverages are now marketed in cans which are opened by punch-type openers which punch or cut a hole in an end wall of the can.

If such a can has been subjected to conditions which would cause pressure to develop therein, such pressure will cause some of the contents of the can to forceably spray out of a hole punched in said can and the fluid will get onto whatever is nearby, often including the clothes of the person opening the can.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means which will prevent the contents of such cans from spraying onto nearby things when the can is opened.

It is another object of the invention to provide a shield which will have a substantially complete seal with the end wall or top of a can being opened so as to prevent the contents of such cans from spraying over things when a hole is punched in said end wall or top of the can.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a shield of this character which may be attached to punchtype openers and which will overlie that portion of the can wall in which a hole is being punched, so that should any of the contents of the can be forced out of the hole it is prevented by said shield from spraying onto things in the vicinity of the can.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shield of this character which may be easily and quickly attached to present punch-type openers.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device of this character having rest means for the finger of the users hand holding the opener when using the device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character that maintains a firm hold on the opener when said device is in proper position on the punch-type opener.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a shield of this character that may be removably attached to such punch-type openers.

Some punch-type can openers are provided with a punching element at one end and an arrangement at the opposite end for removing crown seal caps from bottles. In container openers of this character the user often will cut his or her hand on the sharp punching element when removing a bottle cap, and it is another object of the present invention to provide a shield for the punching end of such openers which will protect the users hand when removing caps from bottles therewith.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a device of this character that is extremely simple in construction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character that is effective and reliable in operation.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device of this character that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, which represent certain embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that variations may be made without departing from the principles, and I contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a side view of an anti-spray shield or device embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear end view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a punch-type opener with the shield operably disposed thereon and shown in longitudinal section;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

PEG. 5 is a top plan view of the anti-spray device or shield.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 3, there is shown a punch-type opener of known character having a shank or handle 10, of substantially rectangular configuration and of a suitable thickness and width to insure sufficient weight without superfluous bulk.

The handle is preferably, but not necessarily, of a length which is about the width of the average adult persons hand, and the edges and corners thereof are rounded or smoothed off to eliminate sharp edges and corners which might injure the hand of the user.

At one end of the handle the free end is provided with an upwardly and forwardly curved or arcuate portion 12 that terminates in a blade, indicated generally at 14, inclined forwardly and at an obtuse angle relative to the plane of the handle. The blade has a base portion 16 of the same width as the width of the handle and from which extends forwardly a triangularly shaped portion 18 the foreward free end of which terminates in a sharp pointed apex 22 which is turned slightly downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 3, to improve the initial puncturing action of the blade.

A seam engaging hook 26 is formed out of the central portion of the handle adjacent the base of the blade, said hook being bent forwardly at an obtuse angle to the handle below the curved portion 12. The forward free end 28 of the hook is turned upwardly toward the under side of the blade 14 and is pointed to more securely book under the lower edge of an end seam of a container or can. The upwardly and forwardly rounded arcuate portion '12 of the handle defines, with the hook 26, a container seam receiving recess 30.

Anti-spray means embodying the present invention is provided for the cutter end of the device and is of suitable resilient material, examples of which are rubber, plastic (such as vinyl), or the like.

The anti-spray device comprises a hollow shield indicated generally at 34, which is generally frusto-conical in shape with the blade 14'normally disposed within the hollow interior or recess 36 of the shield, said recess being defined by the walls of said shield.

Means for attaching the shield to the punching device is provided and comprises a radially extending tubular sleeve, indicated generally at 38. Sleeve 38 has an opening therethrough for reception of the handle 10 of the punch-type opener. There is a top wall 40 of said sleeve 38 which, when the device is disposed on the opener, extends across the upper side of the handle, as shown in FIG. 3. The sleeve has side portions 42 at the ends of the top wall 40, said side portions 42 being at the sides of the adjacent edges of the handle 10 and from the side portions 42 there are inturned bottom portions 44- which engage adjacent side edge portions of the underside of said handle 10. At the inner end of the sleeve 38 there is a transverse wall portion 46 which extends entirely across the lower side of the adjacent portion and defines with the adjacent portion of the top wall 40 and side walls 42 a tubular band completely encircling the handle adjacent the rear of the shield 34 and adjacent the base of the tongue 26, said band tightly engaging said handle.

The band portion of the sleeve 38 encircling the handle defines a transverse slot 48 in which the handle is received. From the rear of the slot 48 there is a rearwardly opening funnel which is larger at the rear end, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. This funnel is defined by a bottom wall 50 and side walls 52. Bottom wall 50 inclines downwardly and rearwardly from the rear edge of the wall 46 of the tubular band and is narrower than the slot or opening 48, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Side walls 52 connect the side edges of the wall 50 with the inner edges of the inwardly turned portions or flanges 44.

The anti'spray device also includes a flat top portion 54 providing a pressure surface for the operators thumb when punching an opening in a can.

When attaching the anti-spray device to a punch-type opener the blade 14 is slipped into the funnel at the rear of the device and into the slot 48. The tongue 26 moves into the funnel and, since the material of the device is resilient, the portions of the sleeve engaged by said tongue 26 will yield sufficiently to permit the tongue to pass therethrough and into the position shown in FIG. 3, whereupon the sleeve, including the band portion, will return to the normal position to securely hol the device on the opener. When the device is properly positioned on the opener the parts of the assembly are positioned as shown in FIG. 3.

When opening the container, the opener is grasped by its handle with the forefinger of the operator engaging the under part of the sleeve and the thumb resting on the top part 54. The opener is used in the usual manner by engagament of the point 23 of the tongue 26 beneath the container rim and the opener rocked upwardly and forwardly, pivoting about said rim. Both the handle and the blade describe an arcuate path of movement, the former upwardly and the latter downwardly, while the sharp cutter point 22 of the blade begins a cutting or punching operation. Since the shield 34 overlies the blade and the hole punched thereby, said shield will catch or trap any of the contents of the can which spurts out of the punched hole and prevent its spraying onto things which would otherwise be sprayed.

It is to be noted that since the point 22 of the opener blade 14 is spaced upwardly from the plane of the open side of the shield, the latter will fully engage the top of the can or container to be opened before the point 22 actually starts to cut into the container wall in which the opening is to be punched, so that the shield is in sealing engagement with said can wall before the wall is initially punched and fluid sprayed from the punched opening. It will therefore be apparent that any fluid that sprays from the hole punched in the can will be confined by the shield so that it will not spray onto adjacent objects.

The free edge of the shield engages the top wall of the can being opened and is resiliently urged into such engagement by reason of the resiliency of the material of said shield and its sleeve. There is also the additional force exerted on the top of the shield urging it into secure sealing engagement with the end wall of the can being opened by the operators thumb pressure on the fiat top portion 54 of the shield. This thumb pressure is exerted downwardly and somewhat forwardly throughout the opening or punching operation, thereby tightly holding the shield against the can wall, said shield being in sealing engagement with the can wall just before the blade point contacts the wall and throughout the cutting or punching operation. As is well known, the spraying normally occurs as a sudden single spurt of fluid from the can when the can wall is initially punched by the point of the blade. Since the shield is already tightly pressed against the can wall, the spurting fluid is confined beneath the shield.

It is to be noted that the sealing of the device is such that there is no place about the periphery of the shield where fluid can escape and spray onto adjacent things, including the operator and/ or his or her clothes.

After the hole has been punched, the opener is rocked in the reverse direction and removed from the can, the shield returning to its normal position, as shown in FIG. 3. The device is then ready for reuse.

At the end of the handle 10 opposite the blade 14 there is a bottle cap removing means which includes a free end portion 60 connected with the adjacent part of the handle by an arcuate part 62, the end portion 60 extending longitudinally outwardly of the handle at an obtuse angle to the plane of said handle and from the side thereof opposite the blade 14. Portion 60 is adapted to engage the top of a bottle cap in the usual well known manner and there is a tongue 64 cut from the material of the handle adjacent the arcuate part 62 and extending at an obtuse angle to the handle and toward the portion 56. At its free end the tongue 64 has a sharp tip 66 adapted to engage the free crimped edge of the usual bottle cap.

To remove the cap from the bottle, the bottle cap removing parts are disposed in the usual manner with the blade portion of the opener rocked upwardly. When thus used the shield 34 is disposed between the blade 14 and the hand of the user so as to protect said hand and prevent cutting or other injury thereto.

The device may be readily removed from the opener by pulling. the opener rearwardly through the sleeve 38, the material again stretching sufiiciently to permit such removal. After removal of the opener the parts of the device will return to their normal positions.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be readily understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbefore described being merely for purposes of illustration.

I claim:

1. Anti-spray means removably attachable to punchtype can openers having a flat handle with a punching blade at one end and a fulcrum tongue adjacent said blade, comprising: a concavo-convex shield of resilient material; a relatively fiat tubular sleeve extending from said shield radially relative to the axis thereof and including a top wall, a portion of said sleeve adjacent the junction thereof with the shield forming with a portion of said top wall, a continuous band portion defining a relatively flat opening, said band being adapted to snugly encircle the handle of the opener adjacent the tongue thereof, said sleeve having side walls along the side edges of the top wall and inturned flanges along the lower edges of the side walls extending rearwardly from the band portion and underlying marginal edge portions of the handle, the inner edges of said flanges being parallel to each other and spaced apart, there being a funnel-shaped passage extending rearwardly from the fiat opening in the band portion, said funnel-shaped passage being open at the rear and defined by a bottom wall inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the band portion and side walls connecting the side edges of the bottom wall and the inner edges of said inturned flanges, the width of said funnel opening being at least as wide as said fulcrum tongue of the opener.

2. Anti-spray means removably attachable to punclb type container openers having a flat handle with a punching blade at one end and a fulcrum tongue adjacent said blade, comprising: a concavo-oonvex shield of resilient material; a relatively flat tubular sleeve extending radially from said shield and including a top wall, a portion of said sleeve adjacent the junction thereof with the shield forming with a portion of said top wall, a continuous band portion defining a relatively flat opening, said band being adapted to snugly encircle the handle of the opener adjacent the tongue thereof, said sleeve having side walls along the side edges of the top wall and inturned flanges along the lower edges of the side walls extending rearwardly from the band portion and underlying marginal edge portions of the handle, the inner edges of said flanges being spaced apart, there being a passage extending rearwardly from the flat opening in the band portion, said passage being open at the rear and defined by a bottom wall inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the band portion and side walls connecting the side edges of the bottom wall and the inner edges of said inturned flanges.

3. Anti-spray means attachable to punch-type can openers having a handle with a punching blade at one end and a'fulcrum tongue adjacent said blade, comprising: a concavoconvex shield of resilient material; a relatively flat tubular sleeve extending outwardly from said shield and including a top wall, a portion of said sleeve adjacent the junction thereof with the shield forming with a portion of said top wall, a continuous band portion defining a relatively flat opening, said sleeve having depending side walls along the side edges of the top wall and inturned flanges along the lower edges of the side walls extending rearwardly from the band portion, the inner edges of said flanges being generally parallel to each other and spaced apart, there being a passage extending rearwardly from the flat opening in the band portion, said passage being open at the rear and defined by a bottom wall inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the band portion, and side walls connecting the side edges of the bottom wall and the inner edges of said inturned flanges.

4. The combination of a punch-type can opener having a handle with a punching blade at one end and a fulcrum tongue adjacent said blade, and anti-spray means comprising: a concavo-convex shield of resilient material disposed on said blade; a relatively flat tubular sleeve extending from said shield and including a top wall on the top side of the handle portion adjacent to said blade, a portion of said sleeve adjacent the junction thereof with the shield forming with a portion of said top wall, a continuous band portion snugly encircling the handle of the opener adjacent the tongue thereof, said sleeve having side walls along the adjacent side edges of said handle and inturned flanges along the lower edges of the side walls extending rearwardly from the band portion and underlying marginal edge portions of the handle, the inner edges of said flanges being spaced apart, there being a passage extending rearwardly from the flat opening in the band portion, said passage being open at the rear and defined by a bottom wall inclined rearwardly and downwardly from the band portion and side walls connecting the side edges of the bottom wall and the inner edges of said inturned flanges, the width of said tunnel opening being substantially as wide as said fulcrum tongue of the opener.

5. In anti-spray means for punch-type container openers having a punching blade, comprising: a hollow shield of resilient material; a relatively flat tubular sleeve extending outwardly from said shield and including a top wall, a portion of said sleeve adjacent the junction thereof with the shield forming with a portion of said top wall, a continuous band portion defining a relatively flat opening, said sleeve having side walls along the side edges of the top wall and inturned flanges along the lower edges of the side walls extending rearwardly from the band portion, the inner edges of said flanges being spaced apart; and means defining a passage flaring rearwardly from the flat opening in the band portion, said passage being open at the rear.

6. In anti-spray means for container openers having a handle with punching blade adjacent one end and a fulcrum tongue adjacent said blade: a shield generally concave at the under side, said shield being of resilient material; and a relatively flat tubular sleeve extending outwardly of said shield, said sleeve including a continuous band portion adjacent the shield and defining a relatively flat opening, underlying marginal edge portions of the handle, and means defining an opening enlarging rearwardly from said flat opening, said enlarging opening being open at the rear.

7. In anti-spray means for container openers having a handle with a punching blade at one end, and a fulcrum tongue adjacent said blade: a shield of resilient material, said shield having its under side hollow for reception of said blade; a tubular sleeve extending from said shield, said shield including a band portion defining an opening for reception of an opener handle, and means defining a rearwardly opening enlarged passage for reception of said tongue.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,080,090 Mumaugh May 11, 1937 2,124,732 Culinovic July 26, 1938 2,280,336 Maihack Apr. 21, 1942 2,675,612 Waterhouse Apr. 20, 1954 2,775,813 Middleton Jan. 1, 1957 

